Chapter 136: Claiming Credit

"I've already had dinner," Liang Jinshang replied indifferently.

On the other end of the line, Shang Yucheng keenly sensed the shift in her mood.

"Who upset you this time?"

"No one."

"It sounds like it's because of me," Shang Yucheng concluded. His voice, carried over the electrical current, sounded even more magnetic. "Come out. Let me coax you in person."

Whenever Shang Yucheng wanted to, he could be incredibly doting to a woman; it wasn't as if Liang Jinshang hadn't experienced that before. But he could dote on her, and he could just as easily dote on someone else. For instance, spending an entire day escorting Yuan Xi around, even accompanying her to an obscure little private gallery right next to Xingcheng University. He certainly had patience. And it seemed his quota of patience for the day hadn't been exhausted yet, as he had come looking for her again.

"I took some fever reducer and want to sleep," Liang Jinshang said in the calmest tone possible, then hung up.

Shang Yucheng was likely rarely on the receiving end of a hung-up call. He did not call back.

Of course, Liang Jinshang's claim about taking fever medicine was an excuse. Her body had always known it didn't have the luxury of being delicate; even when a high fever neared forty degrees, it would break just as quickly as it had arrived, never to return. She couldn't sleep, so she ordered some room service. While waiting for the food, she pulled out her sketchbook and began to doodle aimlessly, eventually drawing the private gallery she had seen earlier that day.

When the doorbell rang, she was still admiring the building. She realized that by capturing it on paper through an architect's eye, it possessed even more aesthetic beauty than in reality. Assuming it was the food delivery, she pulled the door open without a second thought.

It was indeed the delivery, but Shang Yucheng was also standing outside.

Her lie was exposed; it was obvious she had made it up just to avoid having dinner with him. The two stared at each other in silence, leaving the hotel staff member in an awkward position. The staffer finally whispered, "Ma'am, here is your meal. Enjoy your dinner," before fleeing the scene.

Shang Yucheng wore a look that was half-smile, half-scowl; he was clearly not in the best of moods. He wasn't wearing a tie today, and the top button of his shirt was undone, revealing the V-shaped hollow at the base of his collarbone. Perhaps because he had been out all day, his usually impeccable hair was slightly disheveled. It made him look less stern, but added a touch of messy sexiness. He was incredibly charming.

But the moment Liang Jinshang thought that this extra bit of sexiness might be because he had just been with another woman—perhaps doing things that stimulated the release of hormones—she couldn't appreciate it at all.

Liang Jinshang pulled the food cart in with one hand and reached for the door with the other. A hand with well-defined knuckles blocked her from closing it. He was stronger, and the door swung slightly in his direction instead. Liang Jinshang’s slender, pale fingers, which had been gripping the door, curled involuntarily as she brushed against his warm skin.

Shang Yucheng narrowed his eyes, a depth like the night swirling in their depths. His inscrutable gaze fell upon Liang Jinshang’s half-damp, loose hair, then swept downwards, scanning her bathrobe as if it were a physical touch. The neckline was loose, revealing fair, delicate skin. She had been in such a rush to open the door that she was barefoot. Yesterday's sprain wasn't serious, and her ankle had already regained its slender, sexy curve.

Liang Jinshang knew how she must look in Shang Yucheng’s eyes. And his gaze quite blatantly telegraphed an ambiguous signal: he was captivated.

Clearly, there was a more convenient option in the same hotel. Yuan Xi was mature, charming, sophisticated, and knew how to read a room. Liang Jinshang didn't understand why Shang Yucheng would choose to go out of his way. Since last night, this man had been sparing no effort to convey a powerful, intense desire to her. He would not stop until he got what he wanted.

Liang Jinshang thought for a moment, let go of the door, parked the food cart at the entrance, and turned to walk inside. Between them, one more or one less encounter didn't really matter. She might as well treat him as a delivery service. At least this "in-room service" was free, of high quality, and their compatibility was excellent. Most importantly, his health was far more reliable than anything on a business card. His motives were impure, but she could afford to play along.

Shang Yucheng didn't move immediately; he watched Liang Jinshang’s back for a moment, lost in thought. A woman in a bathrobe usually looks more graceful from behind than at other times. But some were particularly alluring, requiring a slim waist and well-defined hips to make the lines look just right. Like Liang Jinshang.

He understood what she meant, but the faint, almost imperceptible trace of sarcasm on her lips before she turned away left him both amused and exasperated. So, exactly how had he upset her?

Shang Yucheng followed her inside, unhurried, pulling the food cart in behind him. He walked over first and leaned down to touch Liang Jinshang’s forehead. Her temperature was normal. He glanced at the simple meal she had ordered—just a bowl of curry rice. It looked thoroughly unappetizing.

"It's still early. Change your clothes, and we'll go out for dinner." As Liang Jinshang had guessed, his quota of patience for the day hadn't been used up. He was actually able to remain calm after being given the cold shoulder.

Liang Jinshang raised an eyebrow and asked bluntly, "Did you come to see me just to have dinner?"

In his mind, that other "activity" was at least something that brought mutual physical and mental pleasure. But to Liang Jinshang, it was clearly just a pretext for sarcasm.

"Others first, myself later," Shang Yucheng said with a hint of mockery in his tone. "I have to make sure you're full before you'll let me be full."

Liang Jinshang shifted on the bed; the rise and fall of the mattress signaled her mounting anger, which she could no longer hide. She reached out directly for her curry rice.

Just as it seemed they were about to fall into a standoff of non-violent non-cooperation, Shang Yucheng’s gaze landed on the sketchbook she had tossed onto the coffee table. Liang Jinshang had artistic training. She didn't even need a ruler to draw models on paper; her straight lines were more precise than those drawn with tools. Thus, Shang Yucheng realized at a glance that she had drawn the private gallery.

The moment his eyes fixed on it, Liang Jinshang realized he had seen it. She flipped the sketchbook over.

Shang Yucheng’s large hand ruffled her hair. "You went to that private gallery? When?"

Although it was a question, his tone was certain. The reason for Liang Jinshang’s anger was now glaringly obvious. "Why didn't you wait for me? We could have just gone straight to the restaurant."

"You could have just gone straight to the restaurant with Minister Yuan as well," Liang Jinshang said, and immediately felt a tinge of regret. That sentence had exposed far too much emotion!

Shang Yucheng deflected with ease. "She’s my subordinate now. Very few subordinates enjoy dining with their bosses."

"Just a subordinate?" Liang Jinshang repeated the word. "If I recall correctly, you two have had other 'superior-subordinate' relationships, haven't you?"

Back in that remote town, Liang Jinshang had seen the clothes strewn all over the floor with her own eyes. Furthermore, Yuan Xi had once explicitly stated to her that she intended to compete fairly for Shang Yucheng.

Shang Yucheng asked with a wry smile, "So, are you trying to claim credit now?"

After all, the room key had been handed over by her own hand.